1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a method and system for forming insulated concrete walls. More particularly, though not exclusively, the present invention relates to a method and system for securing insulation panels to a poured concrete basement wall while still providing a visible wall stud that may be used for finishing and other purposes such as hanging drywall.
2. Background of the Invention
Rising utility costs have increased the demand for concrete walls, such as those in most basements, that are insulated. Basement walls made from insulated concrete blocks, with the insulation actually contained in the concrete blocks, are extremely expensive and time consuming to install. Poured concrete walls are much less costly and take less time to install. Insulation has typically then been added or fastened to one or both faces of the concrete. Adding insulation after a concrete wall has hardened is an expensive and time consuming process.
Conventional uninsulated reinforced concrete walls are poured into forms that are typically constructed of heavy plywood panels clamped and nailed into place with cross-ties between parallel panels to prevent them from spreading apart under the hydraulic forces generated by the concrete. The plywood is initially treated so it can be stripped away after the concrete is set.
It has been shown that rigid foam plastic panels are strong enough to substitute for plywood, thus providing an insulated wall. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 6,240,692 issued Jun. 5, 2001 to Yost, a series of rigid foam panels are used in place of the plywood forms. The foam panels of Yost are left in place permanently, thus providing the poured concrete wall with insulation on both sides. Yost also discloses a plurality of wall studs encased in each panel, each stud having a trust structure for increased strength.
Similarly, a pair of insulative panels are used in place of the plywood forms in U.S. Pat. No. 5,040,344 issued Aug. 20, 1991 to Durand. Durand discloses reinforcing each of the panels with horizontal stiffeners and using removable shores to maintain the panels in a vertical position during concrete pouring.
All of these systems require specialty components that are time consuming to install and drastically increase the costs of insulating poured concrete walls. Further, many of these systems also have their studs embedded in the foam. Embedding the studs in the foam requires the foam be specially made to fit the studs. This prevents the builder of the concrete wall from selecting the thickness of insulation to be used on site. This also makes it difficult to find the studs if additional finishing of the walls is to be done. There is therefore a need for an insulation system that is quick and easy to install, variable, relatively inexpensive, and that has wall studs visible beyond the insulation panels.
Because many of these insulation systems also use foam panels in place of plywood or aluminum forms, the insulation panels must be on both sides of the concrete wall. Often, insulation is only desired on the inside portion of the concrete walls. There is therefore a need for an insulation system that may be used only where and when desired.
It is therefore a primary feature of the present invention to overcome the problems in the prior art.
It is a further feature of the present invention to provide an insulated concrete wall system that is relatively low cost and easy to use.
Another feature of the present invention is to provide an insulated concrete wall system that allows insulation panels to be placed on one or both sides of a poured concrete wall.
A still further feature of the present invention is the provision of an insulated concrete wall system in which wall studs are secured in the poured concrete wall upon hardening of the concrete.
Another feature of the present invention is the provision of an insulated concrete wall system in which the wall studs are visible for easy finishing of the wall.
A further feature of the present invention is the provision of an insulated concrete wall system in which any size of foam insulation or fiberglass hardboard insulation may be used without the need for special grooves to be cut in the insulation material.
A still further feature of the present invention is the provision of an insulated concrete wall system in which the wall studs retain the foam panels to prevent them from floating during concrete pouring.
These, as well as other features, objects, and advantages of the present invention, will become apparent from the following specification and claims.